The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (58 page)

petillant (peti),on(g)) FRENCH [sparkling, lively] adjective slightly sparkling
(of wine).

petit bourgeois (patee borzhwah)
FRENCH [little citizen] noun phrase (plural petits bourgeois) a member of
the petite bourgeoisie (the lower middle class). '"noun phrase, feminine petite
bourgeoise (pateet borzhwahz) a
female member of the petite bourgeoisie. '"adjective phrase of or relating to
the petite bourgeoisie, conventional.

petite (pateet) FRENCH [little, feminine of petit] adjective trim, slight,
small (usuall), referring to a woman's
figure): "She was an attractive girl with
blonde hair and a petite figure."

petite bourgeoisie (pateet borzhwahzee) FRENCH [little bourgeoisie]
noun phrase the lower middle class,
characterized by limited, conventional opinions and attitudes: "The
country's leaders were terred of offending the petite bourgeoisie, and decided
not to act."

petit four (petee for, patee for)
FRENCH [small oven] noun phrase (plural petit fours or petits fours) a
small cake or biscuit (often served
with coffee at the end of a meal).

petit mal (petee mal) FRENCH [little
sickness] noun phrase epilepsy in its
milder form: "The emperor's advisers
were worried that one day their leader
would display the symptoms of petit mal in
public" See also GRAND MAL.

petit pain (petee P111W) FRENCH
[little bread] noun phrase (plural petits
pains) a small bread roll.

petit point (petee wan) FRENCH
[small point] noun phrase a tent
stitch or a piece of embroidery made
with such small stitches.

petits pois (petee wah) FRENCH
[small peas] plural noun small young
green peas.

p. ex. See PAR EXEMPLE.

peyote (payotee) MEXICAN SPANISH [from Nahuatl peyotl] noun a

small spineless cactus of Mexico and
the southwest United States; also a
hallucinogenic drug prepared from
mescal buttons, the tubercles of the
peyote.

phaeton (fatan) GREEK [after Phaethon, the son of the sun god Helios
in Greek legend, his name from
phaethon shining] noun a light fourwheeled horse-drawn open carriage;
subsequently applied to touring cars:
"Yonder, where that phaeton with the
well-clipped pair of grays has stopped
standing at their heads nowis aYorkshire
groom..." (Charles Dickens, American
Notes, 1842).

phalanx (flanks, falanks) GREEK
[battle line] noun (plural phalanxes
or phalanges, faylanjeez, falanjeez) a
formation of troops in close array; by
extension, any closely massed body
of people, animals, or things: "The
protesters were faced with a phalanx of
police officers backed by a rank of armored
vehicles"

phallus (alas) GREEK [phallos penis,
symbol of the penis] noun (plural
phalluses or phalli, fall, falee) the
penis, or a representation or symbol
of the penis.

pharmacopoeia (farmakaeea), pharmacopeia GREEK [pharmakopoiia
preparation of drugs] noun a book
describing drugs and their preparation, or a stock of such drugs.

pharynx (farinks) GREEK [pharunx]
noun (plural pharynxes or pharynges,
f"arinjeez) the cavity lined with
mucous membrane that connects the
nose and mouth to the esophagus.

phenomenon (fanomanan) GREEK
[phainesthai to appear] noun (plural phenomenons or phenomena,
f"anomana) an observable happening, event, or fact, especially one that
is considered out of the ordinary: "The
new book gives fresh scientc explanations
of natural phenomena." Can also refer
to individuals who have distinguished
themselves through their talent or
intelligence.

-phile (fill) GREEK [from philos loving] suffix love or fondness for, e.g.,
Anglophile, bibliophile.

phobia (fobeea) GREEK [phobos fear]
noun an exaggerated or irrational fear or dislike of someone or
something: "Her anxiety about calories
amounts almost to a phobia toward food
of all kinds."

-phobia (fobeea) LATIN [from Greek
Phobos fear] suffix irrational fear or
dislike of: claustrophobia, homophobia.

phoenix (feeniks) GREEK [from phoinix] noun (plural phoenixes) in
classical mythology, a bird that every
500 years burns itself to ashes in a
fire in order to rise reborn from the
flames; can refer more generally to anyone or anything that rises anew
after some setback or disaster: "The
city has risen like a phoenix from the ashes
of the old town."

phyllo See SILO.

phylum (filam) GREEK [phylon tribe,
race] noun (plural phylums or phyla,
fila) a primary division of the animal
or plant kingdoms; also applicable in
classifying languages: "Prof. Huxley ...
says that he considers the phylum or lines
of descent of the Vertebrata to be admirably
discussed by Haeckel, although he d ffers
on some points" (Charles Darwin, The
Descent of Man, 1871).

physique (fazeek) FRENCH [physical,
bodily, ultimately from Latin physicus
of nature] noun the physical structure and characteristics of an individual: "The ladies present admired the
strongman's magn!Pcent physique."

pi (pi) GREEK [from pei, an abbreviation of periphereia periphery] noun
the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet;
also the name for the mathematical number expressing the ratio of
the circumference of a circle to its
diameter and of a symbol representing this.

pianissimo (peeanisamo) ITALIAN
[very softly] adverb (in music) to be
played or sung very softly. -adjective (in
music) very soft. '"noun (plural pianissimos or pianissimi, peeanisamee) (in music) a very soft passage. -abbreviated form pp.

piano (peeano, peeahno) ITALIAN
[soft, ultimately from Latin planus smooth] adverb (in music) to
be played or sung softly. -adjective (in music) soft 'abbreviated form
p. noun a keyboard instrument
(a pianoforte) capable of being
played either softly or loudly, the
metal strings within the body being
sounded by hammers operated when
the keys are depressed and the volume being controlled by the pressure on the keys and through the use
of foot pedals.

piazza (peeatzd) ITALIAN [broad
street] noun (plural piazzas or piazze,
peeatzee) a large open square in
the middle of a town or city (usually
referring to Italian towns); may also
refer more widely to any roofed gallery or arcade: "The piazza was suddenly
full of dancing, singing people."

pibroch (eebrakh) SCOTTISH GAELIC
[from piobaireachd art of piping]
noun a piece of mournful or martial
music for the Scottish bagpipes with a
series of variations on a theme.

picaresque (pikaresk, peekaresk)
FRENCH [from Spanish picarescol adjective of or relating to a rogue or rascal;
may also refer to a type of novel written in a wandering, illogical style: "His
square face was confident, his foxy mus

tache was picaresque." (Sinclair Lewis,
Main Street, 1920).

piccolo (210) ITALIAN [from flauto
piccolo small flute] noun a small flute
pitched an octave higher than an ordinary flute.

picot (eeko) FRENCH [small point,
from piquer to prick] noun a small
loop of ribbon or lace forming part of
an ornamental edging to a fabric.

piece de resistance (pies da rezistons,
pies da rayzistons) FRENCH [piece of
resistance] noun phrase (plural pieces
de resistance) the chief attraction, the main event or most important item (often referring to the
principal dish of a meal): "The dessert turned out to be the chef's piece de
resistance."

piece d'occasion (pies dolkzhan)
FRENCH [a piece of occasion] noun
phrase (plural pieces d'occasion)
a literary or musical work created for
a particular occasion.

piece noire (pies nwahr) FRENCH
[black piece] noun phrase (plural pieces
noires) a play or movie with a
gloomy, pessimistic, or tragic tone.

piece rose (pies DOW) FRENCH [rosy
piece] noun phrase (plural pieces roses)
a play, movie, or other artistic work
with an entertaining, optimistic
tone.

pied-a-terre (peeayd a tair) FRENCH
[foot to ground] noun phrase (plural
pieds-'a-terre) a temporary lodging or occasional residence; a home
base: "They live in the countryside but
have a pied-a-terre in London."

pierrot (eearo), Pierrot FRENCH
[diminutive of Pierre Peter] noun a
white-faced clown of traditional
French pantomime, typically dressed
in a loose-fitting all-white costume:
"She decided to buy a small pierrot doll to
take home as a souvenir."

pieta (peea),tah), Pieta ITALIAN [pity,
from Latin pietas piety] noun an artistic representation of the Virgin Mary
grieving over the crucified Christ.

pilaf (pilaf, peelaf), pilaff, pilau
(pilow, eelow), pilaw (pilaw, eelaw)
TURKISH [from Persian pilav boiled rice
and meat] noun (in Middle Eastern and
Indian cuisine) a dish of seasoned
rice and meat, fish, and vegetables.

pina colada (peenya kalahda), pina
colada (peena k2.lahd5) SPANISH
[strained pineapple] noun phrase an
alcoholic drink made with rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut.

pinata (peenvahta) SPANISH [from
Italian pignatta, from Latin pinea pine
cone] noun a container filled with
candies and small toys and suspended
from the ceiling at a party, especially a
children's party, for blindfolded guests to hit with a stick until it breaks open
and the contents fall out.

pince-nez (pans n4a) FRENCH [from
pincer to pinch and nez nose] noun
spectacles that are clipped to the nose
by a spring: `His aunt, as aunts are all too
apt to do, stared at him witheringly over her
pince-nez."

pinetum (pineetam) LATIN [pine
grove, from pinus pine] noun (plural
pineta, pineeta) a plantation of pine
trees or other coniferous trees: "The
pinetum includes many rare species."

pinto (pto) SPANISH [spotted,
painted] noun (plural pintos or pintoes) a horse or pony having a coat
with white patches. 'adjective pied,
mottled, skewbald.

pinxit (sit) LATIN [he/she painted]
noun he/she painted it (referring to
the artist of a painting). -abbreviated
form pinx., pnxt.

pipette (pipet), pipet FRENCH [diminutive of pipe pipe, cask] noun a tube
into which a small quantity of liquid or
gas can be withdrawn and retained for
measuring, as widely used in scientific
laboratories: "The professor drew some of
the liquid up into a pipette and scrutinized
the contents quizzically."

piquant (eekon(g)) FRENCH [stinging, stimulating, present participle of piquer to prick, to sting] adjective spicy,
tasty, appetizing, tart, bitter, pungent;
may also refer to a character who is
deemed witty or provocative: "The meat
was served in a wonderful piquant sauce."

pique (peek) FRENCH [from piquer
to prick] noun resentment, wounded
vanity, annoyance: She flounced out of
the room in afit ofpique."-verb to irritate, provoke, offend, annoy, vex.

pique (peek4) FRENCH [pricked] noun
a stiff fabric woven with a raised or
ribbed pattern.

piripiri (ireepiree) PORTUGUESE
[from a Bantu language, pepper]
noun a very spicy sauce made with
red chilli peppers, used in Portuguese, African, and Brazilian cuisine:
My chicken piripiri was so hot I felt like
my mouth was on fire."

pirouette (pirooet) FRENCH [whirl,
possibly from pivot pivot and girouette
weathervane] noun a rapid full turn
of the body (as in ballet). verb to spin
the body in such a manner: `And gayest
of all was Mrs. Darling, who would pirouette so wildly that all you could see of her
was the kiss, and then if you had dashed at
her you might have got it" (J. M. Barrie,
Peter Pan, 1904).

pis alley (peez alb), pis-aller FRENCH
[to go worst] noun phrase (plural pis
allers, peez alb, peez ala~z) an
expedient, a last resort.

Pisces (pseez) LATIN [fishes] plural noun (in astronom),) the Fishes,
a large constellation mainly in the
northern hemisphere; (in astrolog),)
the 12th sign of the zodiac, occurring
between Aquarius and Aries.

piscine (pirn) LATIN [from piscis fish]
adjective of or relating to a fish or
fishes: A new system has been developed
for the diagnosis of piscine diseases in fish
farms."

pissoir (piswahr) FRENCH [from pisser
to urinate] noun a public urinal
(especiall), one in a French-speaking
country).

piste (peest) FRENCH [track, from
pistare to trample down, to pound]
noun a downhill ski run: "The avalanche threatened to engulf several skiers on
the piste."

pita (eeta), pitta GREEK [bread,
cake] noun (in Mediterranean and Arab
cuisine) a flat oval-shaped unleavened bread often eaten stuffed with
meat or vegetables.

piton (eeton(g)) FRENCH [eye-bolt]
noun a metal spike or peg used in
mountaineering to secure ropes to a
rock or ice surface.

Pittura Metafisica (pitoora metafizika) ITALIAN [metaphysical painting]
noun phrase an Italian art movement founded in 1917 by Giorgio de Chirico and Carlo Carra. Using a
realistic style and the juxtaposition of
unlikely objects, the painters created a
dreamlike atmosphere.

piu (pyoo, peeoo) ITALIAN [plus]
adverb (in music) more: piuforte."

pizzeria (peetsareea) ITALIAN [from
pizza] noun a restaurant or other
establishment where pizzas are made
or served: "The pizzeria has become a
popular meeting place for students."

pizzicato (pitsikahto) ITALIAN [plucking, past participle of pizzicare to
pluck] noun (plural pizzicatos or pizzicati, pitsikahtee) a piece of music
plucked rather than played with a
bow. -adverb (in music) plucked.
-adjective (in music) plucked.

PK See I'ARKOUR.

placebo (plaseebo) LATIN [I shall
please] noun (plural placebos or
placeboes) a medication or other
treatment that soothes a patient psychologically without having any real
effect on any actual physical complaint; can also refer more generally
to anything that soothes or placates:
"This announcement by the president is
nothing more than a placebo designed to
calm worried supporters."

placenta (plasenta) LATIN [from
Greek plakous flat cake] noun a
vascular structure in the uterus of a